ABSTRACT

In times of increasing pressure on schools and teachers, it is essential that teachers are equipped to understand the emotional and relational factors in learning and teaching. Vulnerable and disaffected children need understanding and nurture rather than reactive management, which can easily exacerbate their difficulties, leaving them unheard and defensive, and even undermine teacher confidence and effectiveness.

Understanding, Nurturing and Working Effectively with Vulnerable Children in Schools offers a comprehensive and accessible exploration of the difficulties faced by teachers and schools from at-risk and disaffected children, including repeated trauma and insecure attachment patterns. The book describes how a thoughtful ‘relationship-based’ approach can both alleviate such difficulties and offer a second chance attachment experience, enabling students to discover it might be safe to let down their all consuming defences a little; thus freeing them to begin to learn. It offers:

  • practical suggestions in note form – making them easy to use, refer to and assimilate;

  • numerous case examples and teacher friendly theoretical background material;

  • a wealth of ideas for ways forward, including differentiated responses to children in the light of their particular patterns, developmental stages and unmet needs.

Written from extensive professional experience, this is an essential handbook and resource book for trainers, schools, teachers and school staff, and also for educational psychologists and those in children’s services working with vulnerable children in pre and primary schools, as well as those in special schools and units.

Angela Greenwood has produced a series of educational posters to support teachers in understanding the emotional and relational factors involved in teaching and learning, freely available for download from: https://www.angelagreenwood.net/Posters.html

part 1I|83 pages

chapter 1|5 pages

Introduction to attachment theory

chapter 2|11 pages

Useful neuroscience

A simple introduction for school staff and child workers

chapter 3|24 pages

The effects of unsupported trauma

chapter 4|14 pages

Understanding unconscious processes

chapter 5|27 pages

Emotional containment

part 85II|230 pages

chapter 6|32 pages

Insecure attachment categories 1

Understanding and responding helpfully

chapter 8|12 pages

The importance of a secure base 1

chapter 9|16 pages

Behaviour as unconscious communication

chapter 11|38 pages

Relating and relationships

Using relationships as a healing vehicle

chapter 12|25 pages

Coping with change

chapter 13|26 pages

Working through the metaphor

chapter 15|10 pages

Working with vulnerable parents

Some thoughts

chapter 16|18 pages

A nurturing school

Some thoughts from an assistant head